Life Planning

Has the American Dream Become a Nightmare?

A reader recently shared these thoughts with me, “My husband and I are from the ‘great depression era’, which always meant if at all possible, don’t go in debt.  For the past 10 to 15 years we have watched people as they lived ‘the American Dream’. To us it was watching them as they lived [...]

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My Answer to Reader: Do the Math and Leave Your 401(k) Alone

A reader recently wrote the following comment on my post 4 Reasons You Should Not Use Your 401k to Pay Off Your Credit Card so I have pasted both the comment and my answer, hoping that you readers will help scrutinize my logic and point out any flaws you may notice.  Obviously, I made some [...]

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Spring Cleaning Your Finances

I don’t know about you, but my cleaning alter ego kicks in every once in a while. There just comes a point where I can’t stand the mess of papers on my desk, drawers, laptop bag, bookshelf, nightstand, you name it. Usually I’ll get on a roll and knock out a room or two in [...]

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10 Free Online Personal Finance Tools

Are you trying to get a better handle on your finances? Would you like to establish a solid financial plan for your future? Whether you want to budget your money or invest it, there are a variety of online tools that can help you, and many of them are free. Compiled here is a list [...]

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How To Handle Identity Theft When It’s Family

The following story about identity theft among family members is true, but the names have been changed to keep both parties anonymous. Jack was a good friend of mine and always took care of his finances well.  The last thing on his mind was the possibility of having his identity stolen.  In fact, he wouldn’t [...]

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Reader Asks About Selling Home to Pay Off Debt

Readers sometimes ask for my advice, as in today’s post.  Although the advice I give might be worth what they paid for it, I strive to do my best.   Following is a copy of an actual email (without names), along with my response.  I would love to hear your thoughts on whether this family should [...]

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Failure: The Pathway to Success

“Failure and success are polar opposites”. Right?  Isn’t this how most of us think?  Failures, we reason, are painted black while successes are painted white.  They are two diverse paths; paths that will not and cannot intersect.  But we are wrong. Success, I believe, never happens without passing through the path of failure.  Consider:

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Trade the Drudgery of New Year’s Resolutions for the Excitement of Pursuing Your Dreams

What are your New Year’s Resolutions this year? A better question is this one: what were they last year? Do you even remember? I realize that many of you are great at making the new year a time to set goals, chart your course, develop a plan and change your life. Good for you. Keep [...]

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Use Life Experiences as Motivation for Saving Money

Science has shown that, contrary to what most people believe, life experiences — not stuff (new clothes, electronic gadgets or cars) — make us happy.  Not sure?  Give this experiment a try: first, attempt to recall the number of times you’ve gone shopping for new clothes and electronics in the last 10 years. Then, try [...]

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